03/13/2008 - A St. Patrick's Day Celebration
A ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION By Everett F. Stevens Staff Writer Thursday, March 13, 2008 — Green was everywhere and Irish folk music was in the air as Millsberry celebrated St. Patrick's Day. It's the one time of the year where everyone gets to be Irish for a day. The holiday was celebrated in Millsberry with a traditional parade that traveled through the city, finishing downtown where spectators gathered, all showing their appreciation for the Irish culture. With all of the celebrating going on, it's the perfect time to look back on St. Patrick's Day traditions and where they originated. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, which is why the holiday is so important to the country. The first St. Patrick's Day parade was actually not held in Ireland, but in America. It took place on March 17th, 1762 in New York City. Since then, the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City has become the largest of its kind. You may be wondering why green is such popular color during the holiday. But if you think about it, Ireland is a very green country as a result of it getting so much rain. The country has even been referred to as the "Emerald Isle", on account of it being so green, and well, an island. Because of this, green has been used to celebrate Irish patriotism and St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland, some people celebrate the holiday by wearing green, orange, and white tri-colored badges. Girls sometimes wear green ribbons in their hair. St. Patrick's day and Irish culture also involve some fun myth and folklore. According to some folklore, St. Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Ireland. This has been disputed as a myth for quite some time now. But to this day, no snakes can be found on the island of Ireland. Myth or fact? You can be the judge. Of course, we couldn't bring up Irish folklore without talking about the leprechaun. Leprechauns are the equivalent of Irish fairies. They have been known to stand about two feet high while still having the appearance of an old man. The word "leprechaun" literally means "small-bodied fellow". Leprechauns have been known to enjoy mischief. If you are able to follow one, they might just lead you to the secret location of their pot of gold. Another little known fact about leprechauns is that they pass their time by making shoes. So, if you can't follow one to their pot of gold, you may just want to shout out your shoe size and hope for the best. However you celebrate St. Patrick's Day, everyone at the Millsberry Gazette hopes that Irish eyes will be smiling upon you. ---- A FEW ST. PATRICK'S DAY ITEMS FOR GOOD LUCK ''' '''Thursday, March 13, 2008 — Lucky for you there are brand new items to help you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in true Irish tradition. You'll probably have better luck befriending a leprechaun if you dress like one. Fortunately, there's new Leprechaun clothing items to help you find that pot of gold. The new Studio T logos are also sure to bring luck to any T-shirt design. With all of these items, you'll have no problem finding some green to wear. Category:Gazettes Category:2008 Gazettes Category:March 2008 Gazettes